Background: Breastfeeding has many benefits for health, also later in life. However, its effects on the cardiovascular system are still unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of exclusive breastfeeding as infants on arterial stiffness in young adults having no cardiovascular risk factors, using aortic pulse wave velocity, and brachial and aortic augmentation index.
Methods: Eighty-six subjects were included in the study from similar socioeconomic status. 46 subjects who had received exclusive breastfeeding for the first 4-6 months in infancy (26 women, mean age 26.7±4 years) (group 1) and 40 subjects who had received exclusive breastfeeding for less than 3 months or had never been breast-fed (22 women, mean age: 28±3.8 years) (group 2) were recruited. Parameters of arterial stiffness (aortic pulse wave velocity, brachial and aortic augmentation index) were investigated using an arteriograph (TensioMed, Budapest, Hungary), which works on an ossilometric basis.
Results: A significant decrease in pulse wave velocity in the breast-fed group was detected compared to the non-breast-fed group (P<0.05) but no significant difference was detected for aortic and brachial augmentation index. In addition there was a significant relationship between breastfeeding duration and aortic pulse wave velocity.
Conclusions: Breast milk intake in infancy reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in young adults, independent of other cardiovascular risk factors. It seems that there is a negative relationship between the duration of breastfeeding and the risk reduction.